Watertight watch



March 1, 1949. osEN 2,463,315

WATERTIGHT WATCH Filed Sept; 19, 1947 erz Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to waterproof watches and particularly to a watch of the self-winding type enclosed within an hermetically sealed case.

The conventional waterproof watch is housed in a two-part stainless steel case the parts of which are threaded and are assembled by turning them relative to each other to bring the parts into water-sealing engagement. A waterproof gasket may be interposed between the parts to prevent ingress of water. With such watches, while water may not be able to gain access to the interior of the case through the threaded portions, it will almost inevitably enter the case through the packing around the watch stem due to wear from constant winding and resetting and between the crystal and bezel particularly if the watch is submerged for any length of time and at depths where the pressure head is high.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a waterproof watch including a watch case which completely encloses the watchwork, which is permanently and completely waterproof for any length of time and for any depth of water except by destruction thereof, which permits for adjustment and winding of the watch without removing the watch from the case, and which will be cheap enough to be expendable when the watch has to be repaired. Other objects of the invention are to provide a watch which is durable and attractive, and which will afiord the usual means for attaching it to a carrying chain or wristband.

In accordance with the aforesaid objects a watchwcrk of the self-winding type is enclosed within a hermetically sealed case. The watchworl; has moving indicating means and the case is preferably a plastic, at least a portion of which is transparent and through which the indicating" means is visible. To prevent condensation of moisture on the parts of the watchwork which results in rusting or on the case which results in fogging, the case is partly evacuated and may be filled with a dry, inert gas at the time of sealing or a desiccant may be inserted in the case to adsorb the moisture. The moving indicating means includes an hour hand and a minute dial having minute graduations thereon, the dial being driven by the minute stem. There is associated with the case indicia in the form of graduations representing hours and a movable index point and, as illustrated, by relative movement of the case and the indicia the watch may be set to the correct hour and the minute. The hour graduations are inscribed on an annular holder sur rounding the case and the movable index point is mounted on the holder for movement relative to the minute dial. As constructed, the holder has inwardly directed flanges at opposite sides which overlie the marginal edges of the case thus retaining it in the holder. One of these flanges overlies the minute graduations on the dial and has an arcuate slot therein in which slides an arcuate element having a window aperture. The aforesaid index member is formed integral with one side of the window and may be adjusted by movement of the element in the arcuate slot relative to the minute dial to bring the index member opposite a given one of the graduations on the minute dial. Tine holder is comprised of two parts threaded or otherwise secured together and has means for attaching a carrying chain or a wristband thereto.

invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

l is a front view of the face of the assembled watchwork, hermetically sealed case and carrying holder;

Fig, 2 is a rear view of the carrying holder with the back omitted and the watchwork and hermetically sealed case removed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the assembled watchwork, hermetically sealed case and carrying holder;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the hermetically sealed case with the watchwork removed;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the case with the front removed to show the minute dial and showing a fragmentary portion of the annular carrying holder;

6 is a plan view of the minute index plate; and

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 1-! of Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown at it! the completely assembled watch. The watchwork 52 (Fig. 5) is of the self-winding type and as shown has a conventional hour hand [4. In place of the face and minute hand. there is a minute dial it, the latter being divided into quarters, each quarter of which is subdivided into graduations representing sixty minutes, as shown at 18, and for a reason which will appear hereafter. The aforesaid watchwork is enclosed in a plastic case 25 (Fig. 4) which consists of two parts and 26 which have respectively peripheral flanges 25 and 2B which may be telescopically engaged and. when engaged, sealed by an application of waterproof cement or by fusing of the plastic flanges to form a hermetically sealed chamber. The case is preferably formed of an inexpensive plastic which is expendable and may be destroyed by breaking it when it is necessary to repair the watch. A portion of the case is made transparent so that the hour hand and minute dial are visible. The remainder of the case may be opaque or transparent as desired and may be suitably colored or plated to afford a pleasing eifect.

The watchwork is placed in the case and, being of the self-winding type, may be wound after the case is sealed merely by movement in a manner to actuate the conventional eccentrically placed weights therein. Hence, the seal need never be broken except when it is necessary to repair the watchwork. In order to prevent condensation within the sealed case, the case may be substantially evacuated of air and hence of moisture, at the time it is assembled. An inert gas may be let into the case to replace the evacuated air and moisture if desired or, alternatively, a desiccant may be placed in the case after it has been partially evacuated to adsorb the residue of moisture. If the watchwork is properly oiled prior to placing in the case and sealing it, the watch will never lack for lubrication since the oil cannot escape and since no moisture has access thereto.

After the watch has been assembled in the case and the latter sealed, the case is installed in a carrying holder 30, indicated in Fig. 3, which is comprised of two sections 32 and 35 threaded at 35 and 38 for interengagement and adapted to be screwed together against the opposite sides of the case 25. The sections 32 and 35 have respectively inwardly extending annular flanges Gil and 42 which partially overlie the case 2! Adjacent to the inner edge of the flange 52 on the front side of the watch, as shown in Fig. 1, there is painted or otherwise applied thereto a graduated scale 46 representing the hours and, since this is concentric with the center of rotation about which the hour hand l4 turns, the hand l4 will move along this scale. At any given time, if it becomes necessary to set the watch for a change in time either by passing from one time belt to another, to change from standard to daylight-saving time or to allow for inaccuracy in the watch mechanism, the watch may be reset by rotating the case 20 within the carrying holder 35 so as to position the hour hand it opposite the proper graduation on the scale 46. The minute correction is provided for as will now be explained.

In the upper portion of the flange 42 there is formed an arcuate slot 43 which extends through from the outer face of the flange to the inside thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this slot extending from end to end about one-quarter way around the periphery of the minute dial; In the rear side of the flange 4-2, concentric with the arcuate slot 48, there is formed an arcuate groove 52 which is somewhat wider than the slot 48 and which extends about three-quarters of the way around the flange in equal amounts at opposite ends of the slot 48. This groove 52 has a shoulder 50 at opposite sides thereof. Within the groove there is disposed an arcuate plate 54, as shown in Fig. 6, this plate being adapted to be disposed in the groove 52 to slide therein and being held in place by a cover plate 56, Fig. 3, which is seated in the groove against the shoulder 5i overlying the plate 5 and being secured in place by suitable screws. The plate 53 is so shaped as to conform to the inner surface of the flange 42 and hence does not interfere with the rotation of the case 20 within the holder. The plate Ed has in it, midway between its ends, a window aperture 58 in one side of which there is formed an index point he adapted to be moved along the graduated scale on the minute dial which is exposed through the slot 48. To facilitate movement of the plate 54 and hence of the index point Eil, a finger piece 32 is threaded into the plate 56, as shown in Fig. 7. This finger piece not only affords means for moving the plate but limits its movement within the ends of the slot 38. With the aforesaid construction, after the hour hand has been set opposite the proper hour, the index point as may then be set opposite the proper raduation on the minute dial by movement along the slot 43. By dividing the minute dial up into quarters each of which is subdivided into 60 minutes the necessity for moving the watch into awkward positions to determine the time is avoided.

To prevent too free rotation of the case 20 within the carrying holder 36, the outer peripheral surface of the case 20 is knurled, as shown at 64, that is, it is provided with a series of small transverse slots for engagement with a springpressed ball 65 (Fig. 5) which occupies an aperture {it formed in the portion 34 of the carrying holder. A spring m for yieldably holding the ball against the periphery of the case is housed within the aperture and is held therein by a threaded plug E2. The slots correspond in number to the minute graduations on the minute dial and hence the case can be adjusted accurately to the exact minute.

In order that the watch may conveniently be attached to the wrist in a conventional manner, the carryin holder is provided with diametrically disposed spaced arms 74 (Fig. 1) between which there is mounted a pintle 16 for engagement with the usual wrist straps.

By providing a sealed case and carrying holder for the watchwork as heretofore described, it is apparent that a completely water-tight timepiece is afforded which can be set without removing it from the case.

While as hereinbefore described the hour hand of the watchwork is arranged to move along a graduated scale inscribed on the holder and the minute hand is replaced by a minute dial with which there cooperates a movable index point on the holder the parts may be reversed. That is, an hour dial be employed in lieu of the hour hand and a suitable movable index point may be associated therewith and the conventional minute hand may be arranged to move along a scale graduated in minutes inscribed on the holder.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

3.. A. timepiece comprised of a watchwork, of th elflwinding type having an hour hand, and

the minute hand having gradua one representing minutes, enclosed in a hermetically permanently sealed case, an

it .2 be rotated, graduations on the holder representing hours opposite which the hour hand may positioned by rotation. of the case relative to the holder and means on the holder movable relative to the minute dial to be set opposite a given minute graduation thereon.

2. A timepiece comprised of a watchwork, of self-winding type having an hour hand, and a dial replacing the minute hand, said dial being divided into quarters each of which represents 60 minutes, said watchwork being enclosed in a hermetically sealed case, an annular holder encircling the case within which it may be rotated, graduations on the annular holder representing hours opposite which the hour hand may be positioned by rotation of the case relative to the annular holder and means on the annular holder movable relative to the minute dial to be set opposite a given graduation thereof.

3. A timepiece comprised of a watchwork, of the self-winding type having an hour hand, and a dial replacing the minute hand having graduations thereon representing minutes and driven by the minute shaft, said watchwork being enclosed in a hermetically permanently sealed case, an annular holder encircling the case within which it may be rotated, graduations on the holder representing hours opposite which the hour hand may be positioned by rotation of the case relative to the holder, and an element having a window therein and an index associated therewith mounted on the holder and movable therealong relative to the minute dial.

4. A timepiece comprised of a watchwork, of the self-winding type having an hour hand, and a dial replacing the minute hand having graduations thereon representing minutes and bein driven by the minute shaft, enclosed in a hermetically permanently sealed case, an annular holder encircling the case within which it may be rotated, said holder having inwardly extending flanges at opposite sides overlying the marginal portions of the case peripherally thereof and the graduations on the minute dial, said flange having an arcuate slot therein through which part of the minute graduations may be observed, graduations on the holder representing hours opposite which the hour hand may be positioned by rotating the case relative to the holder, and an arcuate plate having a window aperture therein mounted on the holder behind the arcuate slot for sliding movement relative thereto, said window having an index at one edge thereof which may be set opposite a given graduation of the minute dial by adjustment of the plate relative to the minute dial.

5. A timepiece composed of a watchwork, of the self-winding type having an hour hand, and a dial replacing the minute hand having graduations thereon representing minutes, and being driven by the minute shaft; enclosed in a hermetically permanently sealed case, an annular holder encircling the case within which it may be rotated, said holder having inwardly extending flanges at opposite sides overlying the marginal portion of the case peripherally thereof and.

the graduations marked on the minute dial, one of said flanges having an arcuate slot therein the opposite edges of which are grooved, graduations on the holder representing hours opposite which the hour hand may be positioned by rotating the case relative to the holder, and an arcuate plate having a window aperture therein mounted in said grooves to slide in the arcuate slot, said window aperture having an index at one edge which may be set opposite a given minute graduation.

6. A timepiece comprised of a watchwork, of the self-winding type having moving indicating means enclosed in a hermetically sealed case, at least a portion of the case which overlies the indicating means being transparent, an annular holder encircling the case within which it may be rotated, graduations on the holder representing hours opposite which the moving indicating means within the case may be positioned by rotation of the case relative to the holder, notches in the peripheral edge of the case, and a spring-pressed detent carried by the holder cooperable with the notches releasably to lock the case and the holder at any given position relative to each other.

7. A timepiece comprised of a watchwork, of the self-winding type having moving indicatin means enclosed in a hermetically sealed case, at least a portion of the case which overlies the indicating means being transparent, an annular holder encircling the case within which it may be rotated, graduations on the holder representing hours opposite which the moving indicating means within the case may be positioned by rotation of the case relative to the holder, notches in the peripheral edge of the case, and a spring-pressed ball carried by the holder cooperable with the notches releasably to lock the case and the holder at any adjusted position.

HENRI E. ROSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 262,513 Trenor Aug. 8, 1882 1,168,797 Guisto Jan. 18, 1916 1,576,120 I-Iarwood Mar. 9, 1926 1,925,288 Spranger Sept. 5, 1933 2,293,459 Ewing Aug. 18, 1942 2,382,728 Kupchick Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,706 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1941 

